Participant Eligibility

The purpose of the RISE program is to achieve greater participation by students from underrepresented (UR) groups in the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise of this country. For the purpose of the RISE program, UR groups include those reported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as the National Academics to be nationally underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences (i.e. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands and people with disabilities).

The MBRS RISE program at FIU is sponsored by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant. To receive salary support from the RISE program, students must be U.S. citizens or non-citizen nationals or permanent residents, must be enrolled full-time in academic degree programs in biomedical or behavioral science fields at FIU, and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. A non-citizen national is a person who, although not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the U.S. This is generally a person born in a land that is not a state, but that is under U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration – for example, American Samoa. An individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence must possess a currently valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS Form I-551) or other legal verification of such status prior to appointment in the RISE program. Individuals on temporary visas, those seeking asylum, or refugees are not eligible for support from the RISE program.

FIU MBRS RISE Fellows receive compensation for work in a FIU biomedical research laboratory with an approved FIU MBRS RISE mentor, receive travel money to present at scientific meetings, and participate in academic and professional development opportunities.

In order to be eligible for consideration, qualified applicants must submit the following documentation by January 31, 2014 for graduate students and by February 28, 2014 for undergraduates:

1. Completed on-line application
2. Most up-to-date transcripts (unofficial transcripts acceptable for current FIU students)
3. Three letters of recommendation addressed to Dr. Charles H. Bigger, MBRS Program Director, sent to OE 165 or via email to biggerc@fiu.edu.